An amicus brief filed this week
unites 20 Republicans with plaintiff couples seeking to strike down
gay marriage bans in two states.
According to The
New York Times, the most prominent signers of the document
are former Senator Alan K. Simpson of Wyoming and former Senator
Nancy L. Kassebaum of Kansas.
The group argues in its
friend-of-the-court brief in support of plaintiff couples challenging
the constitutionality of bans in Utah and Oklahoma that “marriage
is strengthened” and “the social stability of the family unit are
promoted” by allowing gay couples to marry.
The bans were declared invalid in
separate cases but both have been appealed to the 10th
Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver, which has scheduled hearings on
the cases in April.
The cases could lift prohibitions in
five states overseen by the 10th Circuit, including
Kansas, Oklahoma, Utah, Colorado and Wyoming. Colorado currently
recognizes gay couples with civil unions. New Mexico, which is also
under the court's jurisdiction, legalized such unions last year.